Fear Files: Hide and Seek: A deliciously creepy, short and immersive new horror series for readers of 9, 10, 11, 12 by the author of ESCAPE ROOM

Fear Files

by Christopher Edge

"A writer of genuine originality" - The Guardian

Goosebumps for a new generation of readers. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Doctor Who and a must-read for Halloween.

Coming to find you, ready or not!

The first title in a brand new middle-grade horror series by the bestselling author Christopher Edge.

Nobody knows who started the Darkive. It's a database filled with first-hand accounts of strange, unexplained experiences. Ghosts; paranormal entities; weird anomalies. Each one is stored with a bank of evidence to prove the story. Are you ready to dive in?

Adam didn't think his camping trip with his best friend, Sol, could get any worse. Stumbling upon an abandoned ghost town, they find themselves playing a strange game of hide and seek. But who or what is trying to find them? And can Adam stay one step ahead?

"Absolutely loved it! Gripping, atmospheric, claustrophobic ... A generation has just found their new nightmare fuel!" Louie Stowell, bestselling author of Loki

Genres: Middle Grade, Horror, Childrens

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2025

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fear Files HIDE and Seek , terrified me! Scientists have identified four levels of fear.

Level 0: NO FEAR

LEVEL 1: LOW FEAR

LEVEL 2: MEDIUM FEAR LEVEL 3 : HIGH FEAR LEVEL 4: BEYOND FEAR

It sounds like a great fun idea! Adam and Sol decided to go camping.When they go for a walk they enter a ghost town, every shop closed. Creepy! No one around.

Adam and Sol play hide and seek. Sol hides. Adam leaves Sol hiding, to walk back alone to their camp area.

But what happens next is the most strangest thing. It scared me stiff.

Children and middle grade readers, if you love watching Stranger Things, then nothing will prepare you for reading Darkvile database file, in this great adventure, Fear Files Hide and Seek.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Adam and Sol are on a camping trip arranged by Sol's parents that doesn't end up being as exciting or glamorous as it was promised to be. The boys, somewhat bored, decide to wander off into the countryside, and happen upon a village called Apodidraskinda. It's empty, abandoned, and has rusty bicycles leaning against the walls. A side note, accompanied by some illustrations in the margins, lets us know that the name of the town means "hide and seek" in Greek. There is a creepy statue in the town square of a man in ancient Greek dress with his hands over his eyes. Sol wants to get back to the family's caravan, but Adam wants to play just one game. A motley collection of children wearing a variety of school uniforms (it's mentioned that maybe they are from all over the world) all seem very fearly when the "Itter" starts counting down on the village intercom. They scatter in abject terror. The two friends are separated, and Adam ends up hanging around with a boy named Kai and a girl, Jun Jeong. It's a deeply creepy game, and Kai and Jun try to explain it to Adam; it's unclear how long they have been playing, but it seems like quite a while. Occasionally, children are caught, and the Itter starts the creepy counting again. At one point, the trio manage to stay safe by pulling down the portcullis at the town's gate, and they also get sucked in to an abandoned amusement park and a school. At one point, Kai disappears and Jun has no memory of him... is it stress amnesia? When Adam manages to escape from the school, he finds posters of missing children. One is of Jun... from 1988. The one of Kai is from 1973, and the most alarming poster is one for Sol with today's date. Desperate to find Sol, Adam manages to stay safe from being "it" and finds his friend. The two leave the town, which disappears when they look back at it. A second book, A Trick of the Light, is planned for March 9, 2027.

The idea of a creepy game of hide and seek has been covered in Hermon's Hide and Seeker, but there is a lot of fertile ground for horror to be explored in this concept. The unusual thing about this book is that there are research notes along the margins, with some illustrations, and mentions of the "Darkive" which is an excellent name. There's a huge amount of information about the history of hide and seek games, as well as some of the catch phrases used, and the different variations. I had no idea of any of this, so it was rather interesting.

Hand this to readers who can't get enough scary tales like Dawson's Ride or Die or Alexander's Escape. Edge's work has a distinctly British feel to it, making it perfect for fans of de Quidt's The Wrong Train, or Thompson's The Light Jar.

Some of this was a bit confusing, and it didn't feel particularly scary to me. We don't really find out what happens to the children who are found, and the ending was a bit vague.

[Laura M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through work, and I truly appreciated the opportunity to read it early. I really enjoyed the story, it had strong Goosebumps vibes that instantly took me back, and I think it’s a perfect entry point into horror for a new generation of young readers. That said, I didn’t connect with the main character; he lacked depth and didn’t feel particularly likable or compelling. Still, this is a strong start to what looks like a promising new middle grade horror series.

[Claire Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant book. I loved this short creepy horror/thriller. I thought it was well written, it was a clever story with how it was told and actually made my heart race in places wondering if they would get caught. I liked all the nursery rhymes that was included as it gave it that creepy atmosphere. A nice little short story for anyone who wants a quick read this Halloween 🎃

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you ready? The itter is coming and he is coming for YOU.


🥰 Loved how it all started! Our MC and his friend planning on a fun trip before the adults wake up come across a mysterious town with a creepy statue (seriously, I would have booked it if I saw that one) and then things go totally south when they decide to play Hide and Seek. The town was such a spooky thing without the Itter and it became even spookier as the story continued.
🥰 I loved the game of hide and seek with higher stakes, but I also loved learning about other forms of it. We get some non-fiction parts throughout and I learned quite a few new things. A couple I knew but many I don’t. Too bad I am not a kid anymore otherwise I would have tried them!
🥰 Never knowing what edition of hide and seek you are playing right now. The Itter is playing a game and it plays whatever it wants. One moment you need to hide, other times you need to find the others. You never know what is next. It kept me on my toes.
🥰 Reading what happens with the kids who get tagged. We don’t get the full information but enough hints to know that it is not a good thing to get tagged.
🥰 I also love how the town matched with the kids in it. We don’t just get the town as it is with its shops and buildings, but we also get to see souks, an amusement park, and other places.
🥰 When we got to the missing posters, boy, I was just crying then. We already quickly learn that the kids have been here for a while, but seeing those posters made it even more real.
🥰 The friendship between Kai, Jun, and our MC. Helping from the start, but with a touch of annoyance (though hello, how is our MC supposed to know what is going on, haha). I loved seeing them team up and try to figure out a good hiding spot to get away from the Itter.
🥰 The Itter, prepare for nightmares. Holy, if that was after me I would just curl up and cry. That thing was terrifying. His little rhymes, how he played the game, how he was able to get into places, how he played the shadows, and other things. shivers Just thinking about it gives me nightmares. He is truly a terrifying villain/monster.
🥰 I love the parts between with the people who have taken on Adam’s case + all the wiki + all the little notes, fingerprints, and more (I want more Darkive stuff).
🥰 Fantastic illustrations here and there that will make you want to NOPE.

😒 Gosh, I was so happy that Sol was only apparent in the first bit, as soon as things kick off he disappears. He was so frustrating. I could definitely understand our MC and his feelings. Sol wants things to go his way, but oh no if someone else has another opinion, BAH.
😒 The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was how fast it all felt. It is all set in ONE day (or at least for our MC). I would have rather seen a bit more time. See the kids get some reprieve from the hide and seek, see another day come full of horror and hide and seek.

🤔 Plus, not entirely a fan of the last sentence, on the one hand OHHHH, on the other hand, whut?

All in all, holy heck, this was such a good book. I just adore a horror with a children’s game gone gruesomely horrific. I would highly recommend this one! And as for me? I need more!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After joining his best friend Sol & his family on a camping trip, Adam is feeling a bit bored & restless. He decides to go for a walk & Sol tags along, & in the middle of nowhere they happen upon a strange town. All the houses & shops are cheerily decorated but eerily silent with no people around & there is a bandstand in the middle of the town square with an odd statue in it. In trying to leave the town, Adam inadvertently triggers a bizarre game of of hide & seek where 'only one may go free''.

This first book in a new series of middle-grade horror is a winner! The storyline is well thought out & the author develops a continuing sense of menace from an unknown enemy. Even though I'm not the target audience, I really enjoyed it & it reminded me a bit of the Point Horror series of the 90s but for a slightly younger audience. I'll definitely be checking out further titles in the series.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Walker Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horror adventure for older primary school children, where one of the kind – Adam Flynn – is bored after just a few sleepless hours with the lad who is supposed to be his best friend, at the world's lamest campsite. When they explore, they find a peculiar and very empty village, and Adam sets to playing hide and seek. What he doesn't realise is that the place is going to be home to a much more hellish and potentially deadly variant of the game…

And it's a pity it's a game of little logic, really. The big bad changes the rules as and when, and it seems to start with a lot of the kids there being very naff at competing at it – just picking one silly place to hide and sticking with it. Adam finds two friends he can do more than that with, proactively trying to keep one step at least from their enemy, but the book has to rely on us thinking these are the first kids to whom this applies.

What this does do is successfully turn this peculiar scenario into something that hits close to home, as the dreamlike world of the drama ends up in different zones most familiar to the target reader – the park, the market, the fairground, school. But the piece never really nails down what the baddy is doing (and certainly not why), the ending is too sudden, and like I say the thing doesn't really hang on a hook of much common sense, just breezing through the story doing whatever the heck it likes and logic be damned. Among the illogical things is the framing here, where the first person present tense from Adam's point of view is the text in a top secret archived government file of horror stories. The present tense works for the story but not as a testimony after the fact from Adam's voice, and when the people commentating on and editing the file get very, very worried about something, nothing at all happens as a result.

We're told, finally, a second book in this series is due for the next Halloween month, but I'm surprised this kind of thing cannot be knocked out much more routinely than annually. It has all the signs of being a quickly-done chiller, one of perhaps four per year. It certainly carries with it nothing special enough to make us wish for the year wait to disappear toot sweet. Three stars is slightly generous.

[E.D. Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you cross the X-Files with Goosebumps? You get Fear Files, a new middle grade series from Christopher Edge.

Adam joins his buddy Sol for a camping trip, one morning they go exploring after walking through a thick mist they stumble across a strange village. Every building in the village is boarded up, they wonder around until the find a bandstand in the middle of the town square. Adam strangely gets the urge to play hide and seek. As he closes his eyes to count he suddenly notices that something has changed. A statute appears on the bandstand and a voice is counting down, that's when Adam meets Kai and Jun, who tell him to run and hide, he doesn't want to be caught be the Itter. Adam slowly learns that he has been added to a game of high stakes hide and seek, and all he ever sees of the Itter, aka the seeker, is a horrible shadow. Adam, Kai and Jun do their best not to be found as they make their way through a marketplace, creepy carnival and an old schoolhouse. Adam learns clues while trying to escape before getting caught, as the mystery around the Itter and the kids playing grows. Will Adam find his way back or will the Itter find him?

This is a very strong first entry to a book series, easy to read, quick chapters, very fast paced which I think is prefect for a middle grade horror book. I really like addition of illustrations, but moreover I like the file feel to this. Meaning there are post it-notes pages that make it seem like someone is reviewing the case file while the story unfolds. There is also a lot of notes about different facts that help explain some of the different versions of hide and go seek that are being played throughout the book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, the writing was clean and precises, I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

This book was giving to me by the publisher in exchange of an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher, Walker Books, for this ARC.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for kids who like spooky/scary plots.

I was a big Point Horror fan as an adolescent, though as an adult, I dislike horror quite a lot. Just don't want to feel that sort of discomfort or fear anymore. But this had to be read, checked before my son gets his hands on it, or it is given to his class.

And it's good for the genre, it really is.

Modern day, two children are bored at their campsite and go off to play at a nearby village, there's a difference of opinion and some child-like annoyances between them and... the village becomes some sort of stuck-out-of-time location where Adam and Sol are separated, there are other children there that don't seem quite right... and there's a creature called the Itter playing a game with them. Hide and Seek has never seemed so frightening.

The structure of this makes it feel like a manual, a guide, a dossier to unusual happenings. With case notes and numbers, definitions of phenomena and references to an organisation watching proceedings and planning to get involved.

All leading to the idea that this is a series, like a Junior X Files, with strange happenings each time to be observed and young people in peril that can't quite be explained rationally.

I didn't like the tension and horror aspects of this, it makes me very uncomfortable, but I think young readers will lap it up. A good scare, all focused on playground games (a bit like Squid Game taking childish nonsense to a deadly climax) and children in danger that can't quite be touched or reasoned with.

It's tense stuff, and I'm sure readers will be keen to read more from this series.

For ages 8-12.

With thanks to Walker Books for providing a sample reading copy.

[Cassandra Shuptar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgally and Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC to read and review.


Fear Files: Hide and Seek is a great start to a horror/thriller series that reminds me of Goosebumps.

Adam and Sol are on a camping trip with Sol's family. Adam is ready to go on an adventure, but his best friend, Sol, is too much of a scaredy-cat. After wondering into a seemingly deserted town, Adam finally convinces Sol to play a game of hide and seek, but this turns out to be a 'hide and see' game for your survival.

Adam has found himself alone, so it seems, in the town after he thought he left Sol behind. When creepy music comes on and kids dressed in strange school uniforms show up, Adam is not so sure about this game. As the game begins, Adam learns that this is not just a simple game, but one where you have to make sure you don't get found by the Itter or your soul might just be taken from you.

Sprinkled throughout the story are different stories on how hide and seek has been played throughout time and how the game has evolved. Since the story is supposed to be a casefile, there are references to other cases in the Darkive, the register for all cases about Fears.

The only things I didn't like was the lack of character development for Adam. Sol was only there to get Adam to the game, but he wasn't really a part of the story. I would have liked the start of the story to have had more development - to explain more of what the Darkive is since this is the first of the series. But it is a good beginning book for kids who want to start reading horror/thriller. It did have me wanting to find out what was going on in the story and to see if the Itter was going to get Adam and the friends he made in the story.

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of Netgalley for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Overview: Adam was invited to go on the camping thrip that his best friend Sol was taking with his family. During an adventure through the woods, they run into an abandoned town. Could this be the perfect place for a game of hide and seek? But, where did Sol go? Where did all these other kids come from? And just who is the Itter? Let's find out.

Dislikes: Adam stars off with a rather nasty attitude. Just because you are growing in different ways doesn't mean that you end the friendship.

Likes: June and Kai were quite willing to help the new player out against the Itter. That's always great to see.

Conclusion: This was a fun story. If you like stories similar to the Goosebumps series, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.

[Rhea Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And then I see the children” always a brilliantly creepy sentence to read in a horror book!

A brilliant X-Files style book for kids, with the book laid out like a case file and some great illustrations to go with it; there's also some great historical hide and seek facts, and some fun word etymology. I particularly liked the extra little clues in the illustrations/case file elements (SPOILER: Like the writing of the ‘Itter’ appearing in the case files, and then the page numbers going from being typed to his handwriting, tiny and chilling). Another great book to recommend to kids who want something a bit creepy.

[Holly Woosey · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: This was a really fun suspenseful story, I liked the use of the case files and the investigators notes through out the book, I think that's a really cool way of explaining things that kids might not know about in a interesting way that makes sense within the story.

I did think that it went on a little too long with the same thing happening each time the game switched, I think I would of liked a bit more of a switch up somehow, and the ending was a bit abrupt, but I liked the suspense and the building of tension throughout.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Megan Wintrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah the first book of the year is done and dusted.

Adam went camping with his friend Sol, but things went from bad to worse when he stumbles across a Ghost Town and ends up playing a creepy game of Hide and Seek with a bunch of children and the "Itter".

Who is the Itter? What is this random ghost town that happened to appear? Who are the children?

I absolutely loved this, what a great way to kick start the years reading!

I couldn't put it down I was really fascinated with it, it was quite creepy and I had a few shivers up my spine with this one.

[Inga Teder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think of Squid Game meeting Alice in Borderland – but for children. What I love about a good story – especially in thriller, suspense, or horror, and it doesn’t matter if it’s for adults or children – is when it leaves enough room for the imagination. Fear Files: Hide and Seek absolutely does that. It’s gentle enough for a young mind, yet imaginative and layered enough to keep one guessing and wondering long after turning the final page. Lovely extra excerpts from Darkive Files and Encyclopedia make the story stand out. I applaud the author and am already looking forward to Fear Files #2.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one and will definitely follow the series. 5+ Hide and Seek game turned into a creepy hunt with all the variations of this game (great research and extras commenting on the story, like a X file case). Well written, full of content but not too long nor overwhelming. Loved the crescendo of creepiness, visual descriptions, and book illustrations. Did not know some of the Egyptian facts.
Ghost city with different locations (school, theme park...) fast-paced, missing kids, a great take on time.

Read a copy that will release in July 2026

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new middle grade horror series.It was a fun, suspenseful read. I liked that the book included pictures and encyclopedia facts. It helped keep my son engaged and added a nice interactive aspect to the story.

This was a scary story. The author did a great job building the suspense. Adam and Sol found themselves in a spooky situation playing hide and seek with the Itter! The Itter is terrifying! The songs, rhymes, and counting really add to the fear factor!

This was a great start to the series. My son is looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the author. His books never disappoint and this one certainly scares me. It is both a slow burner and a page-turner at the same time. The mystery is unveiled gradually in a steady pace, keeping readers on the edge at all times. I absolutely love this one. I am not using it in my courses only because it might scare some of my students a bit too much. Perfect for Halloween.

This could well be my favourite among the books written by the author.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

A middle grade horror in the Point Horror tradition. I would imagine that the target audience will find it suitably scary although some parts don't really seem to make sense to this adult. Christopher Edge is a very successful children's author and I can see why he is popular. The ending is inconclusive but as this is the first book in a series, I assume more will be explained in the sequels.

[Oliver Lendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one leans fully into that creepy hide and seek concept and does it so well. It’s sharp, tense and genuinely unsettling in places, with moments that had me wondering how they were going to get out of it.

The atmosphere is what really stood out. The nursery rhyme element adds that extra layer of unease and makes everything feel just a little more twisted. A quick read, but one that sticks with you after you’ve finished.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it says this is yet to be published, my copy says it was published 1 October 2025 by Walker Books.

This is a short, fun middle-grade horror. The hide and seek premise is well done, with some genuinely creepy moments. The descriptions of the monster are vague and shadowy, giving your imagination time and space to work.

Nice creepy resolution too, that could be interpreted multiple ways.

Overall I felt like this was Goosebumps meets Squid Game and would be enjoyed by my students.

[Micki-D · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creepy middle-grade horror story that proves hide-and-seek can be much scarier than it sounds. The abandoned town, mysterious game, and unsettling atmosphere kept the suspense building while remaining age-appropriate for younger horror fans.

Fast-paced and full of mystery, this is a fun read for anyone who enjoys spooky adventures, strange mysteries, and stories that make you think twice before saying, “Ready or not… here I come.” 👻🌲🔦

[Gina L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, I think its a good horror book for children with some good scary moments that aren't too scary.
I didn't like the main character for the most part but he does recognise at the end that he'd been a bad friend to Sol.
It had a bit of an SCP Foundation vibe to it with the case notes.

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC of this book

[Zoe E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun quick read. It gave off major goosebumps vibes. And would be the perfect book to start on for younger people wanting to try out 'horror books' and this one will certainly be getting passed down to my little bookworm.
I thought it was very well written, and a very clever story and how it was told. Mixture of media throughout.
Definitely going to keep an eye out for the next book.

[Tammy Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgallery for this ARC.

I liked this book reminded me of goosebumps from my childhood and love the story also the little bits from the darkhive and the info on the hide and seek game and variations. Looking forward to the next one.

[Omiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a pretty decent kids horror. it was incredibly fast paced, kept your heart rate going and your blood pumping just from reading it!
you're never quite sure what is happening, all you know is you have to run and hide! and whatever happens, don't let the Itter get you!

[Sharon S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, clever, and impossible to put down. Christopher Edge delivers a chilling middle grade horror that builds tension fast, blending mystery, fear, and friendship into a gripping hide and seek nightmare.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine. I thought taking the creepy parts of games like Hide and Seek was clever. Ultimately though it wasnt a memorable book and the Files were a bit too educational for me in what could have been just a fun horror.

[Dark Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this - I loved Goosebumps as a kid, and it hit the same spot. A great middle-grade horror book for young readers. My daughter loves Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and she loved this as well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

[Sarah · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Candlewick Press for a review copy of this book.

This is a great middle grade read for Halloween that was super creepy and will keep young readers at the edge of their seat.

Ideal for 8-10 year old readers.